Horse-detacher.



Patented Apr; 23, l90l. W. S. BERRY. HORSE DETACHER.

Application filed Dec. 10, 1900.),

(No Model.)

y v 'wtoz I Wm mesa co Quorum NITED STATES AnNir FFICE.

WALTER S. BERRY, OF EASTVIEW, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EPHRAIMM. BERRY, OF SAME PLACE.

HORSE-DETACH'ER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart Of Letters Patent N0. 6'? 2,818, dated April23, 1901..

Application filed December 10, 1900. Serial No. 39,370. (No model.)

To otZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER S. BERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Eastview, in the county of Hardin and State of Kentucky,have invented a new and useful l-Iorse-Detacher, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in horse-detachers, andmore particularly to the means for securing the traces to thewhiftletrea One of the principal objects of the invention is to providea device of this character which will positively fasten a trace to thewhiffletree and which will itself be securely locked -in operativeposition against displacement,

but may be readily thrown to an inoperative position to release theanimal should it become desirable.

A further object is to construct the fasteners in the form ofattachments that may be applied by an unskilled person to an ordinarywhiftletree-body without the necessity of reconstructing or changingsuch body.

In the following specification is described a preferable form ofconstruction that carries out the above objects; but-it will beunderstood that this construction is open to changes which are withinthe scope of the appended claims. The construction is also illustratedin the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a perspective view ofa whittletree, showing the improved trace-fasteners applied thereto.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of oneend of the whiiiietree, showing the trace-fastener in locked position.Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the trace-fastener inunlocked position. Fig. 4 is a cr0sssect-ional view.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in theseveral figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 designates a Whiftletree, which may be of anycbnstruction desired and carries at its opposite ends a pair of theimproved trace-fasteners 11, constituting the detacher. Each of thesefasteners 11 is a complete article in itself and is in the form of a tipthat can be applied to the end of an ordinary whiffletree-body.

In the construction of fastener shown the tip is in the form of a casing12, in the interior chamber 13 of which the trace-locking mechanismoperates. The tip is provided at its inner end with a socket 14 for theend of the whiffletree-body and at its outer end with a retaining-cap15, that is spaced from the end of the casing to provide atracereceiving opening 16. This cap is preferably in the form of abracket, the arm 17 of which is detachably secured to the casing bybeing dovetailed and fitting in a correspondingly-shaped groove in saidcasing, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. A suitable screw or other fastening18 holds the arm in place.

The chamber 13 is provided with an end opening 19, in which is slidablymounted a locking-pin 20, that is arranged to be projected across thetrace-receiving opening 16. The chamber13 is furthermore provided with aside opening 21, through which moves an operating-lever 22, that isconnected with the locking-pin by means of a link 23. Theoperating-lever 22 is preferably in the form of a plate that is pivotedcontiguous to its outer edge by means of a pivot-pin 24, that passestransversely through the casing. This lever is furthermore allowed aslight longitudinal movement, that may be provided for by making thepivot-opening 25 elongated or by any other means desired. The swingingend of the lever is beveled, as at 26, and coacts with thecorrespondingly-shaped end of the chamber to form a stop, and this end26 is provided with a projecting locking-stud 27 that is arranged toengage in a notch 28 of the end of the chamber to lock the lever inclosed position, and consequently the pin 20 in operative position.

In order to operate the lever from a vehicle, a cord 29 is attached tothe swinging end thereof and passes througha guide-eye 30, arranged uponthe exterior of the casing at a point contiguous to the side opening 21and opposite to the notch 28.

The operation of the device will be apparent. After the end of the tracehas been inserted in the opening 16 the lever is forced into thechamber, thus sliding the pin 20 through the usual trace-opening andacross the space between the end of the casing and the retaining cap. Atthe sametime the locking-stud 27 will engage in the notch 28, wherebythe lever 22 and pin'20 will be securely held in operative position, andany inward pressure uponsaid pin will only force the stud into tighterengagement. When it becomes desirable to release the trace, it is onlynecessary to pull upon the cord 29, which will first move the lever 22longitudinally until the stud 27 is disengaged from the notch 28 andthen raise it, retracting the pin 20 and disengaging it from the trace.7 1

By this exceedingly simple construction it will be seen that reliablefastening means are provided which will securely hold the traces againstaccidental displacement, but will permit of their quick release when sodesired. Furthermore, each fastener is in the form of a completeattachment that can be applied to any ordinary whiffietree-body. Astillfurther advantage resides in the construction of theretaining-plate, which, on account of its exposed position, is sometimesbroken. It

will be seen that should an accident of this kind occur it maylee-readily replaced Without thenecessity of renewing the entire casing.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casinghaving an end and a side opening, of a lockingpin slidably mounted inthe casing and adapted to be projected through the end opening thereof,an actuating-lever pivoted intermediate its ends in the casing andhaving an operative con- .nection at one end of the locking-pin, saidpin being contiguous to one end of the side opening, the casing beingfurthermore provided with an eye contiguous to the pivot of the lever,and an operating-cord connected to the free arm of the lever and passingthrough the eye.

2. In a device of the class described, a tip chambered to form a casingand having a socket at one end for the reception of thewhiffletree-body, said casing being provided with an end and a sideopening, a lockingpin slidably mounted in the casing and adapted to beprojected through the end opening thereof, an actuating-lever pivotedintermediate its ends in the casing and having a link connection at oneend with the locking-pin, said pivot being contiguous to one end of theside opening, the casing being furthermore provided with an exterior eyecontiguous to the pivot of the lever and an operating-cord connected tothe free arm of the .lever and passing through said eye.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing, ofa trace-holding pin slidably mounted within the casing and arranged tohave a portion projecting from the same to engage a trace, anactuating-lever pivotally and slidably secured tothe casing and havingan operative connection with the holding-pin to move it to aninoperative position when said lever is actuated, said lever carryingmeans adapted to engage the casing to hold the pin in its projected oroperative position against accidental displacement and be disengaged bythe sliding of the lever when said lever is operated;

4. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a casing, of a trace-holding pin slidably mountedwithin the casing and arranged to have a portion project from the sameto engage a trace, a bell-crank-actuating lever pivotally and slidablymounted at its elbow within the casing and having an operativeconnection with the holding-pin to move it to an inoperative positionwhen the leveris actuated, said lever being adapted to engage the casingto hold the pin in its projected or operative position againstaccidental displacement and be disengaged by the sliding of the leverwhen said lever is operated.

5. Ina device of the class described, the combination with a casing, ofa trace-holding pin slidably mounted within the casing and arranged tohave a portion project from the same to engage a trace, anactuating-lever pivotally mounted within the casing and having anoperative connection with the holdingpin to move it to an inoperativeposition when said lever is actuated, said lever carrying means whichare adapted to engage the casing to hold the pin in its projected oroperative position against accidental displacement, said meansautomatically disengaging the casing when the lever is operated.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing, ofa trace-holding pin slidably mounted within the casing and having aportion arranged to project from the same and engage a trace, a leverpivotally mounted within the casing and having an operative connectionwith the holding-pin to move it to an inoperative position when thelever is actuated, said lever carrying a projection arranged to engagein a notch in the casing when the pin is in its projected position, andan operating-cord connected to the lever and arranged to move the samelongitudinally to release said projection from the notchand swing thelever to move the locking-pin to a retracted position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WALTER S. BERRY.

